Not many Realtors get their start in a smoke-filled room in New York City, but this was the unlikely beginning of the career of Desiree Tombul.

Tombul says she was 22, looked 14 and could win over anyone with her smile, which could double as sunshine. She needed all the charm she could muster, too, as she entered the smoky room, which was populated with old men who puffed on cigars and looked like their gruff faces would crack if they tried to change expressions.

Just when you think the Tennessee Legislature is going off the deep end, someone will throw them a bungee cord. Maybe a rope made out of hemp would work better because a bungee cord leaves people bouncing, never quite reeling them in.

That’s sort of where the General Assembly sits when it comes to school safety, guns and cannabis.

Sanko is listed as a top author nationwide on the topic of eDiscovery for the reach attained with readers in 2017. JD Supra recognized more than 240 top authors nationwide across 26 categories in its third annual Readers’ Choice Awards.

“Real estate is my passion, and learning more to help my clients achieve better success in the real estate endeavors makes (the effort to earn the GRI designation) worthwhile,” Darnes says. “I strive to give my clients 110 percent of the most competent and dedicated services and deliver outstanding results.”

Michael Taylor of Premier Property Group has completed the third phase toward achieving the CCIM designation. The designation is comprised of a four-course curriculum and is conferred upon commercial real estate leaders who have a record of success in the field and have demonstrated a mastery of financial, market and investment analysis.

The National Association of Realtors has launched a new logo for the first time in 45 years. The symbol leverages many of the familiar attributes and visual elements of the previous Realtor emblem, including the recognizable blue color palette, but moves the logo from a flat, two-dimensional image to 3D.

Congratulations! With the help of a Realtor, you purchased your first home, signed all the necessary paperwork and are about to walk up to your front door, keys in hand.

You’re probably thinking, “Now what?” This is a common question new homeowners ask themselves when the time comes to settle into a new home. With all the excitement and work involved in finding a home, buyers might not have a transition plan or a checklist for the first few days in their new abode.

Homeownership rates among young adults continue to increase as millennials enter the housing market. In fact, the number of millennials buying homes increased the most of any age group in 2017, according to the Census Bureau. And since millenials are mostly first-time home buyers, they’re also facing an abundant amount of paperwork necessary for the home financing process.

A father and son are walking silently through a forest in the light of day. They’re wearing no shoes because feet don’t squeak. They’re walking on a path of sand because it doesn’t crunch like dry leaves or snap like twigs. And when they speak, they use sign language because the air can’t carry those words to things that will kill them if they knew they were there.

I find the culture shift of Tennessee football under new head coach Jeremy Pruitt this spring to be refreshing.

To better appreciate Pruitt’s no-nonsense approach, I went back to the first spring practices of Pruitt’s three predecessors. Butch Jones made his spring debut in 2013, Derek Dooley in 2010 and Lane Kiffin in 2009.

If you’re a gardener, your busy season is at hand, as April has been designated National Garden Month. But could the skills you deploy at gardening be transferred to other areas of your life – such as investing?

Noontunes is moving to a new time and location for the 2018 season. Sponsored by Tennessee Valley Federal Credit Union, Noontunes is a weekly midday music series that previously took place inside the Waterhouse Pavilion in Miller Plaza.

When Noontunes returns for a third season in September, the 10-week showcase of local musicians will occur in the new Miller Park.

Mayor Andy Berke will present his State of the City address Thursday, April 19 at 5:30 p.m. at The Westin Chattanooga, 801 Pine Street.

5K to end human trafficking

Second Life Tennessee’s inaugural Finish for Hope 5K run and one-mile walk will take place Saturday, April 21 from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. at the Riverfront Pavilion, 4301 Amnicola Highway. The 5K will begin at 10 a.m.; the walk will start at 11 a.m. Day-of registration will begin at 9 a.m. Registration costs $35 for the 5K and $15 for the one-mile walk. The event will support Second Life Tennessee’s efforts to end human trafficking in Lower East Tennessee. Register: secondlifetn.org/race-page